Comcast is just looking worse and worse as time goes on. My aunt works at CSN and she even says the same thing.
Sounds good, DirecTV! I assume this means I can also choose whether I want to pay for HGTV and Lifetime, right? Awesome! Oh, right. Hypocrites.
Hmm I have DTV and tried watching an Astros spring training game on MLB Network and it got blacked out.
http://blog.chron.com/sportsmedia/2...t-involved-in-san-diego-rsn-carriage-dispute/ New dueling statements from CSN Houston, DirecTV; city leaders get involved in San Diego RSN carriage dispute Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but there’s no movement today to my knowledge on the continuing Comcast SportsNet Houston carriage issue. There is, however, new movement on the spin front, and there’s an interesting development on a similar issue in San Diego. Spin first. DirecTV, one of the carriers that has yet to come to a deal with CSN Houston, has an updated message to subscribers on a site it calls “No Fan Should Be Sidelined” that complains about the high costs of sports networks and attempts to assure subscribers that it is working on behalf of customers to keep costs down. Here’s the latest DirecTV statement on CSN Houston: “Unfortunately, we have yet to be able to reach an agreement with the owners of CSN Houston that allows customers to choose whether they want to pay to see the games or not. We are ready and willing to have that discussion any time so we can begin providing this network. Until then, DIRECTV customers can still see Astros games on FOX, TBS, MLB Network and especially ESPN (which carries the season opener) or hear the games on Houston’s KTRH 740 AM, XM Radio and other regional radio carriers.” As an aside, the Astros are on KBME (790 AM) this season, as you know. I am told that DirecTV will correct its statement presently in that regard. There’s no immediate comment from CSN Houston in response to the new DirecTV message. I must say, however, that the message is slightly disingenuous in that it implies that all Astros games are available on Fox, TBS, MLB Network or ESPN. That is not the case. Other than the opener on ESPN and four games on Fox later in the year, no Astros games are scheduled for national broadcast. The other item of note that I found interesting is that the DirecTV statement does not address the Rockets. I’ve never expected the sides to come to an agreement before the end of basketball season at any rate, but this would indicate that DirecTV, at least from a PR standpoint, has written off the rest of the NBA season for its Houston subscribers. It will be interesting to see what happens if the Rockets make the playoffs and if they do so with several days to spare. That will give the CSN Houston crowd time to stir up discontent toward the carriers before the first round of the playoffs, some of which likely will air on CSN Houston. All first-round games air on national carriers as well, but that won’t do local fans any good if a Rockets game airs on NBA TV because of the local blackout rules for that channel. Meanwhile, the network has updated its IWantCSNHouston website with an updated FAQ section that addresses a lot of the questions that readers regularly pose to me and a lot of the answers that I generally receive from company management on issues. And, yes, the company refuses to discuss its fee structure on the website, too. Among the company’s points: “Their (DirecTV’s) failure to carry CSN Houston devalues the fans of the Houston Rockets, Houston Astros and Houston Dynamo.” The site now also includes a ticker showing that CSN Houston has forwarded almost 88,000 complaints from viewers to assorted carriers that do not carry the network. That’s a nice number, but, truth be told, it represents just 4 percent of the area’s 2.2 million TV households. If I’m DirecTV or Dish Network, I’m not sure I would start paying attention until petitions hit the 10 percent mark. But that’s just me. Meanwhile, city officials in San Diego are meeting Thursday with Time Warner Cable officials in an effort to mediate stalled negotiations between Time Warner and Fox Sports San Diego, which airs Padres games. Time Warner Cable and Fox Sports San Diego representatives will be in the same room Thursday to do something they haven’t done in months: Discuss their stalled negotiations over showing Padres games on television. Instead of talking to each other, though, they’ll be talking to a group of San Diego’s politicians, some of whom are trying to end a yearlong impasse before the team’s new season begins on April 1. Angry Padres fans hope it’s a step in the right direction, and some, including myself, are planning on attending the hearing, which is open to the public. But a new letter a Time Warner Cable lawyer sent the city attorney shows how far apart the two companies remain. The meeting is set to begin at 9 a.m. and conclude by 10:45 a.m. It will be held in the council committee room on the 12th floor of San Diego City Hall, 202 C. St. (Read the agenda.) San Diego City Councilwoman Sherri Lightner said the meeting of the council’s Rules and Economic Development Committee was convened because “the City of San Diego has a stake in the success of its local Major League Baseball Team as it generates economic activity, promotes San Diego to a national audience, and boosts civic pride. Because of that fact, the city must do all it can to encourage the two sides to reach a deal to broadcast the Padres.” Lightner, Mayor Bob Filner and City Attorney Jan Goldsmith have all written letters to Time Warner seeking a resumption of talks between the network, which includes the Padres as a 20 percent equity holder, and cable company. For its part, Time Warner complains that Fox is seeking a 300 percent price hike over the fee it paid for Padres games two years ago on another carrier, which it described as “unreasonable.” Unlike CSN Houston, FS San Diego has struck deals with the satellite and telco distributors, with Time Warner, which represents about 22 percent of the county’s pay TV households, as the lone holdout, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. City officials in Houston thus far have not gotten involved in the CSN Houston dispute, and there is no indication that the network has sought intervention from public officials.
According to that philosophy, all non antenna tv delivery systems are "hypocrites", because that's how they opperate. Everybody does what they do to make money. So they provide a group of channels that'll (according to their analysis) appeal to the largest group of subscribers in any given area for a basic price. For a little higher price, you can get a few more channels (extended basic). Then for a little bit more,You can get "sports packages". These providers had a channel (Fox Sports Southwest Houston) that carried the Rockets & Astros as part of their extended basic package. Now the Rockets & Astros dump FSSH & form their own carrier CSN. Now CSN wants DirecTV, etc. to charge their customers an extra $3.40/month (no one's denied that figure) for the same extended basic package as last year. Hey, let's dump on DirecTV,etc. for being such a$$holes!
Everyone has blame in this, even DirecTv. They are the ones now taking a stance that customers should be allowed to choose what they paid for. If I was a judge I'd say "you're client opened the door". Seems like customers should get to choose from all the channels.
Different post regarding the same message from DirecTv http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2013/03/directv_drops_gauntlet_on_csn.php
So HGTV and Oxygen appeal to a "large group of subscribers" but local professional sports teams don't? The providers knew FSSH was losing the Astros/Rockets for over two years before it happened. Once it did, that channel had almost zero value to the Houston audience. They knew this and had ample time to prepare, but chose not to. It doesn't have to be the "same extended basic package". There are outs to every contract, and I refuse to believe that there hasn't been a single opening in the 2+ years that this has been public knowledge for providers to either get out of FSSH or reduce its per-subscriber figure. They simply didn't plan ahead. I don't think there's any precedent whatsoever for local professional teams to not be on the extended basic tier in their home market, and the providers know this. Don't give me that its about the new network, because new networks get formed all the time. Have for decades. They're simply choosing to play hardball in this particular case because they think they can eventually get CSN to cave and give them a better deal.
EXACTLY. I'd love to call up DirecTV and ask for a customized lineup of only 20 channels. That's all I ever watch, anyway, and I should be able to choose what I pay for. Right? Oh, wait... that logic only applies when it's beneficial for your bottom line, DirecTV CEO. Sorry.
Does any cable/satellite provider actually do that, and if they do are you really getting a good deal? CSN Houston is selling ONE station for $3-4 for subscriber from what I understand... that's a lot of money and since its a regional station its not cost effective to not roll that cost to the subscriber. Since not all of Houston are into the Rockets or Astros, DirecTV (or Dish) has to weigh if its in the benefit to make the sports fans happy (ok with the fee) or the non-sports fans unhappy (upset with the additional fee).
Why not use that exact same logic with every single channel? That's the problem. Other than the four main networks, is there really a channel out there that everyone is into? For example, my extended basic tier has Cartoon Network, CMT, Spike, Food Network, Lifetime, Syfy, Hallmark, etc. I don't think all of Houston is into those channels. I'm certainly not. Why do I have to pay for those? Yes, CSN is probably asking for a slightly higher fee than some of those. That's one difference. But call it like it is: say it's about the price. Don't make it out to be this "let subscribers choose!" bull**** unless you're willing to give the same courtesy elsewhere. Second, the price CSN is seeking is not unreasonable relative to other regional sports networks or sports networks in general. They have precedent because the providers themselves agreed to those deals, and now they're trying to make this "stand" and put toothpaste back in the tube. There's no easy answer, and the CSN side isn't without blame. But the providers are hypocrites all over the place, and they need to get called out for it.
I understand that. The point is, neither will Spike, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Lifetime, Syfy, etc.! Why should CSN have to relent on the issue of "subscriber choice" when no one else does? What CSN is asking is standard operating procedure. Regional sports networks are on the extended basic tier for the home market of the teams. The providers are trying to change the playbook, but only when it benefits them. That's the problem. I'm sure CSN would be more willing to let subscribers choose if DirecTV were demanding other specialized networks to do the same thing. They're not.
Lifetime probably gets 5% of what CSN is asking for in this market. It's not comparable for that reason. CNN apparently gets about 50 cents per subscriber and CSN wants $3.40? Mkay.
Actually here's a chart from 2009 on subscriber fees. Lifetime gets 29 cents to CSN's alleged $3.40 ask. http://allthingsd.com/20100308/hate-paying-for-cable-heres-the-reason-why/
